Refrigerating apparatus



@et 27, 1931. J. c. ARNOLD REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Nuv. 30, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l 0d, 27,1931. J ARNQLD 3,8%,387

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 30, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 atbozmq Patented Oct. 27, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES C. ARNOLD, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO FRIGIDAIRE CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Application filed November 30, 1927. Serial No. 236,732.

This invention relates to refrigeration apparatus in which the size of the cooling member may be selectivelyv varied, and in which the cooling member may bemade of a size to conform with ythe requirements of the installation to be made, from a stock of a relativel small number of standard parts.

One o ject of the invention is to provide a refrigerator in which the size of the cooling unit may be selectively varied.

'Another object of this invention is to provide a refrigerator in which the relative size of the coolin unit may be selectively varied.

Another oject of the invention is to provide elements for the cooling unit of a refrigerator whereby with a relativelysmall stock a dealer may be ready to assemble a cooling unit of many dierent sizes and shapes.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the required number of headers which a dealer must have on hand in order to be ready to install cooling units ot many digferent sizes or shapes.

Further objects and, advantages oi' the present invention will he apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein preerred forms of the present inventions are clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side'view of a cooling unit according to my invention;

2 is a plan view oi' the same;

3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view along the line 55 in Fig. 2;

ig. e is an enlarged end view oi? the coolunit shown in Figs. l and 2; ig 5 is a detail view of the cooling unit; g. 6 is a view of a cabinet in which my ce l ng unit may he installed, the dotted lines incicating a cabinet oit different relative size or shape Fig. 7 is a view disassembled cooling unit;

Fig. 8 is a view of a cooling conduit of diierent size from that shown in Fig. 7, the header bein shown in dotted lines to indicate that this header may be the saine one used in Fig. 7 g

Fig. 9Y is a side view of a iin which may ge used with the cooling conduit shown in Fig. l() is a side view of a in of different size from that shown in Fig. 9 which may lie used with the cooling conduit shown in Fig. 11 is a plan view of a modified cooling unit; and

Fig. l2 is a side View of the cooling unit shown in Fig. l1.

This invention relates to a cooling unit in which a refrigerant is introduced. The refrigerant may be a volatile liquid such as SO2 'or it may be non-volatile liquid such as a cold brine.

As an embodiment of my invention the cooling unit may comprise a header indicated at 21 having therein a float controlled refrigerant inlet valve 21a to control the level of the refrigerant in said header. rllhis header may be provided with outlets 22 and 28 to which may be detachably secured the cooling conduits 2d. hese cooling conduits may be oi diderent sizes or shapes as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8 in order to adapt the evaporator to cabinets of diierent sizes or shapes. The cooling conduits 2li may he provided with fins 25 which may be assern bled :from twosheet metal plates 26. "'m plates 26 may be of such shape that they may llit over the conduit 2t as shown in l? ig. 39

and after they have heen placed over the conduit 245 the plates :26 may he punched as at 27, the metal being lient over as at 28 to secure the plates together and to forni a rigid n. It is to he understood, however, that the conduits 2d may be used without the hns 25 if the requirements of the installation should justify it. l

Figs. 7, S, 9 and l() indicate that with the one header 2l shown in 'l and with one set each of the other standard parts shown in these figures, it is possible to assemble four diiierent types of emporators from a stool; which has only one header 2l and one set each of standard parts. rEhe headers shown in dotted lines in Figs. 8, 9 and l0 need not he held in stock in accordance with my inventlon, but would have to be held in stock Figs. 11 and 12 there need be only tvv-o con-` nections to the header 21 as shown at 30 and p 3l. In this modification the cooling conduits 24 are connected to distributors 32 which may be constructed of Tis 33 and a cross 34 united by means of nipples 35, the ends of.

the Ts 33 being sealed by plugs 316. rIhe plugs 36 may be replaced by other nipples 35, and other Ts 33 ma be added to the installation in order -to increase the number of -conduits 24 which may be attached to the headers 32. The headers 32 are connected to valves 37.'

The header 21 is provided with tWo outlets connected to valves 38 and 39. valves 37 of the distributors and the valves 38 and 39 of the header may be connected by the right and left threaded nipples 30 and 31. It Will thus be seen that the relative capacity of the evaporator may be increased or decreased either by changing the length of the cooling conduits, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, and by dotted lines 24', Fig. 11, or it may be changed. by increasing or decreasing -the number of conduits as indicated in Figs. 11 and 12, or both expedients may be resorted to by changing not only the sizeof the conduits but also the number thereof.

.After manufacture and desiccation of these parts, refrigerant under low pressure may be placed in the header 21 and the conduits 24, and this refrigerant may be sealed therein by means of plugs 40 as shown in Fig. 5 or by means of the valves 37, 38 and 39 shown in Figs. 11 and 12. By so lling these parte with 'low pressure refrigerant the necessity of desiccation and of air removal at the place of assembly is obviated. By the use of valves 37 38 and 39, as shown in Figs. l1 and 12, the refrigerant may be sealed in 'the oat chamberl and the conduits prior to assembly and also prior to disassembly.

While I have disclosed header 21 as a float chamber, my invention is also applicable when lsuch a header is an expansion device, or merely a distributor device. In some cases, it is possible that the conduits .24 need not return to the same distribution device, but .may be connected to a distributing device at one end, and a collecting device at the other".A

This invention kis applicable also where the cooling unit is not an evaporator, and may be of some other type such as a brine cooling unit.

The relative size of the cooling-capacity of the cooling unit may -be increased not only before but also after installation, either by the addition of tins, by the change of size or shape of the cooling conduits, or by change of the number of conduits.

While the forms of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitute preferred forms, it is 'to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming Within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A refrigerating element comprising a header, a looped duct, a vertical cooling n, means for detachably connecting said looped duct -to said header, and means for detachably connecting said fin to said duct..

2. A refrigerating element comprising a looped duct and a lin attached thereto, said lin comprising two fiat members secured around said duct by punching the material of said two flat members.

3. A refrigerating element comprising a cylindrical chamber, a float controlled refrigerant inlet valve therein, refrigerant flow connections permanently secured to said chamber having means for readily attaching and detaching ducts thereto, a looped duct readily detachably secured to said cylindrical chamber by said means and a fin detachably secured to said duct. l

4. A refrigerating element comprising a cylindrical chamber, a float controlled rerigerant inlet valve therein, refrigerant ilow connections permanently secured to said chamber having means for readily attaching and detaching ducts thereto, looped ducts readily detachably secured to said cylindrical chamber by said means and lins detachably secured to said ducts.

In testimony whereof I hereto aliix my signature.

JAMES C. ARNOLD. 

